1998 Atlanta 500 Classic

March 2026 February 2025 USA Atlanta Atlanta Motor Speedway.svg August 29 1998 Atlanta 500 Classic 9th Indy Racing League Atlanta Motor Speedway Permanent racing facility 1.54 2.48 208 320.32 515.505 Billy Boat A. J. Foyt Enterprises 24.734 USA Billy Boat A. J. Foyt Enterprises 24.732 109 USA Kenny Bräck A. J. Foyt Enterprises SWE Davey Hamilton Nienhouse Motorsports USA Eddie Cheever Team Cheever USA The 1998 Atlanta 500 Classic was the ninth round of the 1998 Indy Racing League season. The race was held on August 29, 1998 at the 1.54 mi km on Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. Sophomore Kenny Bräck took his third consecutive win after surging into the lead during the final sections of the 208-lap race ahead of Davey Hamilton, whose second place would be his best result of the season. Both Bräck and Hamilton jumped ahead of Scott Sharp in the points standings into first and second place, respectively, after Sharp suffered a gearbox malfunction and finished 18th. Polesitter Billy Boat, despite setting the fastest lap of the race, was taken out in a crash involving Marco Greco and Steve Knapp on Lap 167. Report Key Meaning R Rookie W Past winner Qualifying Two laps qualifying. The worst lap from some of the drivers are unknown. Pos No. Name Lap 1 Lap 2 Best (in mph) 1 11 USA Billy Boat 24.738 24.734 224.145 2 35 USA Jeff Ward 24.771 24.753 223.973 3 8 USA Scott Sharp 24.807 24.768 223.837 4 4 Canada Scott Goodyear 24.794 24.778 223.747 5 28 USA Mark Dismore 24.843 24.847 223.161 6 14 Sweden Kenny Bräck 24.886 24.848 223.117 7 16 Brazil Marco Greco 24.992 24.969 222.035 8 77 France Stéphan Grégoire 25.050 unknown 221.317 9 5 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk 25.063 25.081 221.203 10 6 USA Davey Hamilton 25.135 25.097 220.903 11 51 USA Eddie Cheever 25.211 25.230 219.904 12 12 USA Buzz Calkins 25.274 25.245 219.608 13 52 USA Robby Unser R 25.338 unknown 218.802 14 15 USA Andy Michner R 25.359 unknown 218.621 15 30 Brazil Raul Boesel 25.383 25.414 218.414 16 97 USA Greg Ray 25.464 25.482 217.719 17 10 USA John Paul Jr. 25.553 25.495 217.454 18 91 USA Buddy Lazier 25.503 unknown 217.386 19 18 USA Steve Knapp R 25.588 25.555 216.944 20 19 USA Stan Wattles 25.701 25.655 216.098 21 3 USA Robbie Buhl 25.685 unknown 215.846 22 99 USA Sam Schmidt 25.777 25.740 215.385 23 81 USA Brian Tyler R 25.853 25.846 214.501 24 98 USA Donnie Beechler R 25.909 unknown 213.980 25 1 USA Tony Stewart 25.961 unknown 213.543 26 44 USA J. J. Yeley R 26.077 26.102 212.601 27 40 USA Jack Miller1 1 Didn't qualify No speed 28 23 Colombia Roberto Guerrero1 1 Didn't qualify No speedSourceStarting Grid, Atlanta (1998-08-29) http://www.indyracingleague.com:80/stats/grids.php3?track=Atlanta&eventdate=1998-08-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20001029111757/http://www.indyracingleague.com/stats/grids.php3?track=Atlanta&eventdate=1998-08-29 dead 2000-10-29 indyracingleague.com September 19, 2017 1 Didn't qualify, but were allowed to start the race at the back of the field. Failed to qualify or withdrew USA Stevie Reeves R for Pagan Racing - the team withdrew the entry on Thursday, before the start of practice sessions.IRL: Atlanta Weekend Notes https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-atlanta-weekend-notes/ Motorsport.com August 31, 1998 September 20, 2017 September 20, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170920044727/https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-atlanta-weekend-notes/ dead Race Pos No. Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Laps Led Points 114SWE Kenny BräckA. J. Foyt Enterprises2082:17:05.28961750 26USA Davey HamiltonNienhouse Motorsports208 +0.944 sec101940 351USA Eddie CheeverTeam Cheever208Running1135 44Canada Scott GoodyearPanther Racing208Running49334 51USA Tony StewartTeam Menard208Running251230 635USA Jeff WardISM Racing208Running26430 728USA Mark DismoreKelley Racing208Running526 85Netherlands Arie LuyendykTreadway Racing207 +1 Lap924 915USA Andy Michner RRiley & Scott206 +2 Laps1422 1030Brazil Raul BoeselMcCormack Motorsports202 +6 Laps1520 113USA Robbie BuhlTeam Menard185Clutch2119 1211USA Billy BoatA. J. Foyt Enterprises169Contact121 1316Brazil Marco GrecoPhoenix Racing167Contact7317 1418USA Steve Knapp RPDM Racing167Contact1916 1599USA Sam SchmidtLP Racing158Engine2215 1652USA Robby Unser RTeam Cheever143Contact1314 1791USA Buddy LazierHemelgarn Racing136Engine1813 188USA Scott SharpKelley Racing135Gearbox313 1923Colombia Roberto GuerreroCobb Racing133Clutch2811 2077France Stéphan GrégoireChastain Motorsports131Contact810 2181USA Brian Tyler RTeam Pelfrey123Engine239 2298USA Donnie Beechler RCahill Racing110Engine248 2310USA John Paul Jr.Byrd-Cunningham Racing96Contact177 2497USA Greg RayKnapp Motorsports94Contact166 2544USA J. J. Yeley RSinden Racing Services58Engine265 2619USA Stan WattlesMetro Racing Systems29Engine194 2740USA Jack MillerSinden Racing Services15Electrical273 2812USA Buzz CalkinsBradley Motorsports2Brakes122Source1998 Atlanta 500 Classic http://racing-reference.info/race/1998_Atlanta_500_Classic/O racing-reference.info August 30, 2017 Race Statistics Lead changes: 12 among 6 drivers Lap Leaders Laps Leader1-27 Jeff Ward28-46 Scott Goodyear47-48 Marco Greco49-97 Scott Goodyear98 Marco Greco99-110 Tony Stewart111-135 Scott Goodyear136-151 Davey Hamilton152-154 Kenny Bräck155-165 Jeff Ward166-168 Davey Hamilton169-194 Jeff Ward194-208 Kenny Bräck Cautions: 6 for 56 laps Laps Reason54-59Track lights malfunction63-71J. J. Yeley's engine leaks oil on the track95-107Greg Ray crash / John Paul Jr. crash133-140Stéphan Grégoire crash164-168Sam Schmidt's engine leaks oil on the track170-184Knapp, Greco, Unser and Boat crash Standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Rank +/– Driver Points 1 10px 1 Sweden Kenny Bräck 282 2 10px 2 USA Davey Hamilton 259 3 10px USA Tony Stewart 257 4 10px 3 USA Scott Sharp 246 5 10px CAN Scott Goodyear 228 Note: Only the top five positions are included for the standings. References Indy Racing League Atlanta 500 Classic 1998 1998 Radisson 200 1998 Lone Star 500 1983 Kraco Dixie 200(CART) 1999 Kobalt Mechanics Tools 500 Category:1998 in IndyCar